diff --git a/lib/bluefeather.rb b/lib/bluefeather.rb
index a73cf5d..aa29498 100644
--- a/lib/bluefeather.rb
+++ b/lib/bluefeather.rb
@@ -1690,10 +1690,12 @@ module BlueFeather
        
        
                # Pattern to match strong emphasis in Markdown text
-               BoldRegexp = %r{ (\*\*|__) (\S|\S.*?\S) \1 }x
+               BoldRegexp1 = %r{ \*\* (\S|\S.*?\S) \*\* }x
+               BoldRegexp2 = %r{ (^|\s) __ (\S|\S.*?\S) __ (\s|$) }x
        
                # Pattern to match normal emphasis in Markdown text
-               ItalicRegexp = %r{ (\*|_) (\S|\S.*?\S) \1 }x
+               ItalicRegexp1 = %r{ \* (\S|\S.*?\S) \* }x
+               ItalicRegexp2 = %r{ (^|\s) _ (\S|\S.*?\S) _ (\s|$) }x
        
                ### Transform italic- and bold-encoded text in a copy of the specified +str+
                ### and return it.
@@ -1701,8 +1703,10 @@ module BlueFeather
                        @log.debug " Transforming italic and bold"
        
                        str.
-                               gsub( BoldRegexp, %{<strong>\\2</strong>} ).
-                               gsub( ItalicRegexp, %{<em>\\2</em>} )
+                               gsub( BoldRegexp1, %{<strong>\\1</strong>} ).
+                               gsub( BoldRegexp2, %{<strong>\\2</strong>} ).
+                               gsub( ItalicRegexp1, %{<em>\\1</em>} ).
+                               gsub( ItalicRegexp2, %{\\1<em>\\2</em>\\3} )
                end